Budget Kayak?

[tacklejunkie]

OK guys I'm on a super budget and need to get rid of my leaky caddis float tube.
I got about $200. I need a kayak that I can fish lmb/spotties and halibut from.
90% of the time LMB.
Just a basic Kayak that I can bolt a 3 rod holder to.

I saw some inexpensive kayaks at a local sport authority but figured I'd ask here for advice from the more experienced before I bite the bullet.

Do I have any good options in this price range? I just need something very basic.
Maybe if it could handle tubing the harbor or even further out that would be sweet too but don't want to push my budget/luck.

Thanks for any help you guys can provide.

[vanillagurilla]

Keep your eye on craigslist lol.

[tacklejunkie]

Like check out this one..
I saw it for less money in store.
http://www.sportsauthority.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2131663&cp=3077577.3085048.2291518.2291570.694713&pg=2&parentPage=family
http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/reptilemantis/yak.jpg

[tacklejunkie]

Where you been VG?
Fish biting foo get down here!

[vanillagurilla]

Less initial cost but add the rod holders, ff, **** like that. I've been in az but I think I might be moving back here to anaheim.

[tacklejunkie]

The fish finder is my worm rod holmes!
Would need a couple rod holders.
I don't know anything about kayaks man. Just know I'm sick of the caddis. haha

[tacklejunkie]

Hey I've been through some stuff you wouldn't believe too.
Trying to get the old crew together again. Bryan and Matt have been out a bit lately.
Move back down here and fish. Everything else sucks.
Fishing the only way to fly. Street bikes too.

"But, We have been catching the bigger fish on the bigger worm. We sho Have."

[viperman100]

Like your buddy said, keep an eye out on craigslist and buy something you can build onto, most hardcore kayak folks will tell you how important it is to paddle the kayak first to make sure you like it, but if your on a budget like I was when I got my first kayak and you have never paddled a kayak before your really unlikley to notice any major differance from one boat to another. The most important thing is to decide wether you want a sit inside or a sit on top, I now have both and like each one for different reasons and purposes, also keep in mind if you fish lakes like Diamond Valley and Skinner, they allow only sit insides and must be at least 10 feet in length. flush mount rod holders you can add to any kayak and they sell at BPS for around 9 bucks each, that was the first thing I bought to add to my Cobra Navigator, after that you can add a rocket launcher type rod holder to the front of your yak for trolling and then a fish finder and so and so on. The cheapest new kayak that I found for Diamond Valley is at BPS its the Ascend 10, that boat is the bare minimum you can get in a new kayak, no foot rests no padding on the seat no rod holders no bungies on the deck or the stow away bin in the rear, it really is bare minimum. Therefore your best bet is to go used and if thats the case you cant be picky, I picked up my Navigator for 100 bucks the kayak only, no seat no paddle nothing just the boat itself, then I got a wilderness system sit inside I think its the Pamlico 10 for 240, but this was a much better deal because I got the padded seat, a paddle, bilge pump, life vest and spray skirt. Just keep your eyes open, there out there but you would have got a much better a couple months ago when it was colder and out of season. Good luck hope all this nonsense makes sense to you, it did to me while I was writing it but now I'm afraid to read it, LOL.

[vanillagurilla]

Ya man ill know thurs/fri for sure if I'm going too be staying out here in anaheim, I've been looking for work for 2 years with no unemployment or anything and my cousin is going to need help soon station his company but he just has to smoothing things over with his old lady first lol. Oh he's got a boat to, once we fix the lower unit its on.

[ToadsToadsOnly]

You should put a post up on Cl like everyone says look for a sit on top kayak try to get malibu or cobra. I dont think you want a sit inside kayak for ocean fishing if you get water inside you're screwed or a inflatable one. If you need any pointers on yaks give me a PM i went through buying 5 yaks this year to find one i liked.

[tacklejunkie]

Damn I want a sit in so I can do DVL and a sit on so I can hit the harbor too.
Decisions decisions.
I guess I mostly do freshwater.. and hunting pig stripers at DVL later doesn't sound so bad. Always wanted to hook one of those DD stripers. I have like five striper swimbaits.
I think I'll go with a sit in.

Now, to decide on which one.

Thanks for all the help guys this helps a lot. Lots of stuff to think about.
I'm sure whatever yek I do get I will modify the crap out of it.

I made a electronic gear display for my motorcycle that tells me what gear I am in from scratch. Maybe I can build so neat electronics onto my kayak too. Rechargeable lithium weightless bilge pumps and so fourth. Fog lights for fishing bass tourney days and hooking pigs in front of the anglers. lol

[tacklejunkie]

I'm thinking I might end up going through a kayak or two myself right now deciding which one I like.
I know I should save and go with something nicer, but I guess I'll try the cheaper yak first. If I don't like it for some reason I suppose I could slang it in the classified section for $50 less or whatever. I like the Malibu yaks but can't come anywhere near affording one right now. I'm pushing it with the $200 budget I have looking at $280 kayaks. lol

[tacklejunkie]

Bingo found one on sale. It's perfect.
Think I might go back for the kill. :Twisted:
Micro bass kayak action.
http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/reptilemantis/IMG_1169.jpg

[tacklejunkie]

I has been done!
Along with the first modification!
Now to learn how to flip it and get back in after it's been flipped. haha
Then on to the Bass Cave for further largemouth stalking modifications!
http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/reptilemantis/IMG_1170.jpg
First modification
http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/reptilemantis/IMG_1171.jpg

[viperman100]

WOW!!!! you dont mess around, when I was shopping for mine I waited over a month to find the right deal on the craigslist adds. Well I'm glad your happy with your purchase and it really is a nice looking boat, you wont have too much room for stuff in that thing but they have stow aways that you can mount on the hood of the kayak like a backpack so you can carry your gear in. PM me if you want any info on DVL regs considering kayaks I had a guy on here point me in the right direction before my first visit and with his help my first visit there went smooth and I was on the water sooner than expected.

[tacklejunkie]

Yes I am learning now it's very small! haha
No matter really, I like small things and make good use of minimal space in the rest of my life.

It looks to be able to accomidate a person ranging from about 5' tall to about 7' tall.
Me being about 6'6" I use up about 2/3rds of the legroom. There is 1/3 legroom for space as well as more in front of my feet if I kick stuff up there and tie a string on it to get it back :LOL:

The back storage is rather small too. Looks about good for my worm bag and a few hardware tackle boxes.

I think there's sufficient space behind the seat for food and clothing. That may change some when I mount the rod holders.

Looks pretty good! It's the same hull as the pelican fishing model, only $150 cheaper and without the cheap basic plastic things I can get for it from walmart. (cleat, anchor, rod holders, cushion etc). Need the oar holder clips or will fashion one.

I have a whistle and a new stearns matching blue life jacket.
Got some new rapala aluminum handle tungsten blade pliers I will anchor to the yak with a leash.

Think I need a dry bag or two and maybe some of those hatch covers and a drift sock.

Few small things I will piece on here and there.

As long as it's remotely stable and tracks better than my pontoon I wont have any complaints!
Should be able to gain access to good areas with it quickly.

I think the sale end date of 4/16 helped me make my decision. Three days later this puppy would have been back at $300.

[viperman100]

right next to your seat, between the seat and the hull of the boat is a good spot for a worm bag and my life vest has pockets for my my hook box and my weight box so thats usually what I carry, if I plan on trolling some sort of swim bait that gets it own designated rod and I just dont change that out during the day so I dont have to have somewhere to store it. youll make due, I'll try to get pix of mine up so you can see if you can use any of my ideas (which of coarse arent really my ideas because I got them from seeing what others had.)

[tacklejunkie]

Thanks for all your help dude.
Just dropped a bill on equipment to outfit the kayak. It should be good to go once I get all these goodies mounted. Will post details in a bit!
Wanted to fish tomorrow or at least maiden voyage but think it will be a few days until I can add this stuff.

[Socal Bassman]

Cool looking yak, bro. Sometimes I wish I would've gone that route. Almost pulled the trigger on the Old Town Vapour before I bought my boat. The bass definitely will have nowhere to run now. Can't wait to see the mods you do to that boat.

[tacklejunkie]

I think Tubes and Yaks both have their place!
I wish I still had my fish cats bro. haha. Love those things. The tubes AND the pontoons. Like them all. But my caddis!
There's a regular out there now on one and he smokes me in my caddis.
Just had to get out of the caddis man. Those things are slow and I have bad knees now days anyways for that kind of stuff. I never was a fast kicker even on the nicer tubes.

I worry about positioning, and even then, hooking a toad! lol
This is gonna get interesting!

Imagine a 20lb striper. that will be like a 20lb thrust trolling motor haha. In a yak thats gonna be a ride!

[Socal Bassman]

I hear ya, man. I had an old caddis back in the day. I think it's the same tube you've got. It too developed a leak and that was the end of my tubing days for years. Then I got the Fish Cat and was surprised at the difference between that tube and my old Caddis. But as much as I love fishing in it, I wanted a craft that would allow me to cover more water and less strain on my right knee. That's what brought me to looking at kayaks.

[tacklejunkie]

Well for a simple test run, you could call today a pretty big success.
I took the kayak, my phone, wallet, pelican case, 4lb ultralight drop shot combo, 3 color worms and my hook/weight box.

Met some of the crew out there on the water too.

The kayak was easy to mount from a trick I learned from a review of the kayak by a reviewer on a website. I got seated without any trouble. Wore my waders and life jacket for first time to see what happened. First thing I notice is you can get quite a bit of spray form the paddles so I was happy I had my waders on.

I bought a sponge for bailing water since it was small and I'm going to be on minimal chop. I did almost fall off today while retrieving a hook for Bryan that he stuck in a tree but I stayed on. lol. took on a tiny bit of water and bailed it out with the sponge in a minute or so.

The tracking wasn't the best I would imagine since it's a short yak. Nor was it the easiest thing to turn. I would say 6'6" is the max height I would recommend now on this boat. I like the small size of it to be honest. I got myself into some really tight places today. I think one mod I might consider however is a cable operated rudder at some point to help with tracking and steering.

I didn't bring rod holders or even a paddle clip (even though I had them at home yet to be mounted). Just wanted to bring a rod and the paddle and test the kayak!
http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/reptilemantis/IMG_1174.jpg

Sure was crazy when I hooked and lost my first fish. Was about 3-4lbs and took me all over while paddling around to free it from the structure. It eventually shook me.

The next fish, which would be the first fish on my kayak. I kissed and released it to get big. I lost the fish before this and caught this fish exactly where I knew they'd be.
Just like last season. A spot overlooked by four boats 30 feet away.
http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/reptilemantis/IMG_1175.jpg

Then I went and messed around with the crew on the bluegills. Once I got bored of that and realized they were gonna stay messing with bluegils all day, I traveled approximately 50 feet away and hooked an 18" bass that bent the hell out of my 4lb ultralight D/S/R. They watched from the weeds while I fought it in. I noticed a cloud of bait and a small boil in the area and knew of a drop off from previous seasons so I knew this fish would be where it was. Brute! I'll call them green trolling motors now.
http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/reptilemantis/IMG_1183.jpg

Here's another shot of the same fish. to make the next fish look better. lol
http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/reptilemantis/IMG_1185.jpg

Then the crew finally stopped terrorizing the bluegills and decided to return the rental. Me being in the yak got to stay for one more fish. I elected to try some more hidden underwater structure fishing that I knew of in the area.
3 fan casts with the same rig/worm as the last and I get nailed good and feel weight when I set the hook. This one took me all over. Under the boat, into the weeds, around my paddle, made me drop the rod, picked the rod back up and never really lost slack and pulled the fish back out the weeds five more times on 4lb line.
Lipped the beauty and decided to leave the fish biting, yet again. :Smile:
A fish 2" bigger than the previous.. hit 20". Must have been a good 3-4lbs. (closer to 4)
I photo'd it from a few angles, kissed it, let it go and paddled home.
http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/reptilemantis/IMG_1186.jpg

http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/reptilemantis/IMG_1187.jpg

http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/reptilemantis/IMG_1188.jpg

http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/reptilemantis/IMG_1189.jpg

With an empty spool of 4lb line. Hahaha. gotta f'n love it.
http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/reptilemantis/IMG_1194.jpg

[tacklejunkie]

Now I can go bolt on the accessories.
Anchors and fasteners and holders and such. Pliers, cleats non slip tape, sponge, paddle clip, etc.
http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/reptilemantis/IMG_1172.jpg

Pelican case for phone/wallet
http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/reptilemantis/IMG_1173.jpg

[fishinone]

Thanks for the fish report. Nice catch! Where did you fish?

I'll have to remember to get some kind of dry container for my valuables.

[tacklejunkie]

Local bassin' hole. PM me. :Wink:

Got some more work done on my yak and took it out for a test again. Love it!

Started by routing some holes with my dremel and the router attachment.
http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/reptilemantis/IMG_1199.jpg

About this point I'm starting to think it may not have been such a good idea to drill huge holes in the kayak lol
http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/reptilemantis/IMG_1200.jpg

Then my fears are turned to joy at my new rod holder mount job.
http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/reptilemantis/IMG_1202.jpg

Then I installed the folding paddle clips.
Now I can stash my paddle with one hand in the clips while fighting a fish with the other. Here's a shot of the paddle mounted.
http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/reptilemantis/IMG_1203.jpg

Close-up of the clips
http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/reptilemantis/IMG_1204.jpg

Used some rubber non slip stick on flooring and added some new aluminum/tungsten cutters with a leash for roll protection.
http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/reptilemantis/IMG_1205.jpg

http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/reptilemantis/IMG_1206.jpg

added some rubber no slip under the rod holders to prevent scratching.
http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/reptilemantis/IMG_1207.jpg

This is hard to see,
but I added a really neat adjustable tie point anchor system. It lets me anchor from the side or the rear of the kayak and anywhere in between, even though I cannot reach these areas of the kayak. It works by a pulley strung between two eyes you mount on the yak and then you can slide the pulley like a clothesline. The anchor line goes through the pulley. I added a rope cleat in the old "Ram-X" label depression for good looks.
Here is the anchor sliding system and pulley but bad far picture
http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/reptilemantis/IMG_1208.jpg

Here's a rear view of the new additions and the new 1.5lb anchor which worked pretty good by the way and the adjustable system was awesome!
http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/reptilemantis/IMG_1209.jpg

Closer crappy shot of anchor and sliding system
http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/reptilemantis/IMG_1210.jpg

Here she is on the water today just after landing after I broke my Shimano Saros handle on a 4lb bass. :mad:
http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/reptilemantis/IMG_1211.jpg

[Socal Bassman]

Cool mods, bro!

[fishmounter]

Casey- How do you transport it? A rack or pick up truck bed?

[tacklejunkie]

Throw it in the back of the truck and slap a motorcycle tie down around it.
I try not to tie it down too hard just in case and go slow on the freeway.
I need to get those angled foam transport wedges when possible but already shelled out quite a bit. Bass pro had all their kayak parts miss-labeled too and I thought my anchor kit was going to cost more than it really did. IMO the kayak transporter foam wedges there were overpriced at something like $40-50!

It's only fifty pounds with everything on board. (bag of cement?). I can huff it to the water no problems.

Sent from my iPhone

[fishinone]

Tacklejunkie.

Your mods are looking good.

I like the idea of the variable position anchor system. I'll have to do something like that on my refurb.

[paintnfish]

Your going to want to put some sort of caps on the
bottom of your rod holders, one little boat wake over
the side and your now taking on water. looks like fun !

[tacklejunkie]

http://www.paddlerscove.com/carlislekayakfoldinganchorkit.aspx

Here's the link to the anchor kit.
Bass pro has it for $35. I may or may not have purchased the last one on the rack, I can't remember. Call ahead.
It has more parts included that it does not show that complete the system. 3 types of rivets, two hook eyes, the pulley, a pinch cleat and a wrap cleat.
It also includes the directions for the system although I ran mine slightly different but the same thing.

I was thinking that about the rod holders. I also thought about just heating up the ends and capping them off altogether so nothing can get in. Will have to put some more though into it. Those holders were $5ea at bass pro so I can get more to modify if need be. =)

[paintnfish]

http://www.kayakfishingsupplies.com/servlet/StoreFront

Heres a link you may or may not be interested in.

[tacklejunkie]

Here we go.
Rodholder caps.
http://www.kayakfishingsupplies.com/servlet/the-816/Flushmount-Rodholder-Caps/Detail

[fishinone]

What diameter are the rod holders at the bottom? Will PVC pipe caps fit?

[viperman100]

Bass Pro shops has flush mount rod holders that are actually intended for kayaks and they are already sealed at the bottom, so there is no need for caps, however the last two times I went looking for them they were sold out, so I bought the same 5 dollar models and just epoxied the cut out from the kayak to the bottom of the rod holder, but those caps should work just fine and at 99 cents a piece arent goint to be to painful to buy. Oh also another thing to take into consideration the flush mount rod holders made for kayaks are about 10 dollars more than the cheaper white ones.

also they come with a gasket to help keep from leaking water at the mounting point but do not include any rivets for them.

[tacklejunkie]

Used stainless steel screws for now. Couldn't locate my rivet gun as I am in the middle of a move at the moment.

I intend to go back over the screws and slots I made in the kayak with some liquid gasket sealer here pretty soon once I complete the move to the other place. The gasket sealer is already over there with the rivet gun.

Shouldn't be leaky once I'm done with it. Didn't leak at all when I took it out yesterday. There was a fair amount of wind and chop and boaters doing 50mph where they were supposed to be doing 5mph.

I don't think sealing the holes off with rubber and capping the rod holders off is necessary to be honest for freshwater.
But I will do so anyways for when I hit the the bays.

[tacklejunkie]

Some things I have noted that I want to add still:

Front rod holder
cup holder ($1)
6" storage hatch and bag
find my rod floaters
kayak wheel
umbrella and mount (lazy man's bimini)
seat cushion
bilge pump (in case of tip over, sponge works good for non tip over stuff)

[viperman100]

I used these on the front, they work fine and are alot cheaper than the name brand ones:
http://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-Rod-Holder-Twin-Pack/product/97536/-1431655

you will need these to flush mount them because they only come with the side mounting bracket:
http://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shop-Side-or-Flush-Rod-Holder-Mounts/product/10202473/-1431657

However I did not mount them directly to the kayak, I built a platform to mount my fish finder and pole holders onto, its basically a plank of wood that I mounted everything onto and it sits in front of my like a dashboard.

I'll try to get pictures of it up once I get it painted and everything else.

[tacklejunkie]

Really starting to like the Kayak. Took it out again today for a bit.
Lots of wind and chop and not really taking on any water so far. just from the footpeg screw holes the factory drilled. lol
Gonna seal those soon. I think it's time for a DVL mission afterward.

My Customized Supertuned Sol on a 6' Loomis GL2 got all the attention today.

worm
http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/reptilemantis/IMG_1215.jpg

crankbait 1
http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/reptilemantis/IMG_1217.jpg

crankbait 2
http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/reptilemantis/IMG_1219.jpg

Then I stuck a lil toadie with the 7" Ultimate Bucketmouth Torment Worm (http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Ultimate_Bucketmouth_Torment_Worm/descpage-UBTW.html) on a Gamakatsu EWG 4/0 and a Excalibur Tungsten 1/4oz bullet sinker. Pretty good fight on my Super Sol
http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/reptilemantis/IMG_1220.jpg

http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/reptilemantis/IMG_1223.jpg

release
http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/reptilemantis/IMG_1224.jpg

Money.
http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/reptilemantis/IMG_1225.jpg

[fishinone]

Nice catch! It looks like your really getting some use out of your new kayak. I can't wait to get my old one fixed up.

I picked up my deck plates at Beckson.com

http://beckson.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=34&osCsid=afe5238212196ccde72006bd4466e3ea

I buy the overrun stuff. Right now the don't have black 6" but they have other colors. Pay attention to whether they have seals included some don't and you have to get them separate.

[tacklejunkie]

Definitely nice deals at $3-4 a hatch!
Cool link.

I found my rod floaters (http://www.basspro.com/Blakemore%C2%AE-Rod-Floaters/product/16517/-504613) during the move so don't have to use leashes now either. (Credit Socal Bassman product review.. circa 2007-2008)
Also found my rivet gun to get things permanently installed and my gasket sealer.

Looks like I have a bit more work to do on the yak. Should be nice and solid when I'm done sealing and riveting.

Oh yeah I found my old castable fish finder also. New batteries and now I have a tiny portable fish finder to bring with me. That old Hummingbird Smartcast I have. I see bass pro still has the sensors just in case mine is old.

[fishinone]

I'll have to do rod floaters but I'm to cheap to buy them. I have some old pipe insulation in the garage that looks like about the same stuff. I think I'll install it with Velcro extension cord straps so I can take it off easily. I was thinking of using rod leashes but that seems like it could become a knot in a hurry.

I used regular pop rivets with the through holes all over the bottom of an old aluminum boat years ago. I put a little bit of silicon under the head as I installed them then squirted a little in the hole and wiped it off right away. It was 100% sealed.

The fish finder is a must have. I'm planning to use the one from my boat with another transducer.

[tacklejunkie]

Doh!
Looks like the factory screws for the footpegs were leaking today so I took on a bit of water while fishing in the wind and 2 foot chop. First time I had crashers come up over the nose of the yak! didn't phaze me one bit! It's much more stable than I thought it would be in a 2' chop.

Now to test it in a 3 foot chop when the weather at the local fishin' hole gets even crazier haha.
I took my pontoon in 3 foot chop but that's different, and I did have to leave shortly!

Got a bunch of flyline worm fish and crankbait fish but nothing of size to show off today. Should have brought the swimbait rod!

Definitely need to seal up some holes in the yak before the next outing.
I bought the silicon and got all my rivets together and everything. Will get it done soon and sealed up tight along with sealing the rod holders.

[Skyler]

It'll handle more chop than you think. I dealt with 3 foot wake on lake Perris last year in my Tahiti. Over in the main lake when there were tons of lake lice and it was windy as heck. A little sketchy at first, but then I got used to it and started jumping waves intentionally. Loads of fun! So when we gonna go 'yakkin'? I got a fishfinder...I'll find 'em and you can catch 'em, he he he.

[tacklejunkie]

Here's a shot from today at the lake while breaking.
You can see the two screws near the front of the yak for the adjustable footpeg runners.
Those are the things that leak from the stock factory. Silicon should do them up.
http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/reptilemantis/reelsaleandfish001.jpg

Dig my anchor too.

Here was the firs fish on the new Black Widow II. Poor thing got it good and ripped him all up. He'll be infected before long.
http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/reptilemantis/reelsaleandfish009.jpg

[tacklejunkie]

I have one last court case and then I can seal up the yak and bring her back out.
should be able to meet up soon.

[TroutKings3]

Craigslist, and ask around your local tackle shops. I found a guy selling his fishing kayak on craigslist as he was moving back east, and even though it was not a name brand per se, it was within your budget, had a front rod holder, and the other bare necessities needed with no leaks or problems except a few snapped bungie cords which are easy to replace.

Just favorite a search for "kayak" in your area and those around you on craigslist, and keep your eyes peeled!

EDIT: I'm late to the party, you already found a kayak, glad it works! I have a Pelican too, the one I was talking about above. It's the Castaway 116 and it's going strong so far, although I haven't had much time to use it or work on rigging it. :(

[Skyler]

I have one last court case and then I can seal up the yak and bring her back out.
should be able to meet up soon.

Good luck with that, bro. I'll be out at Perris this Sunday. If anybody sees me, stop by and say hi. OD green Seyvlor Tahiti. I'll be near the island and power cove.

[Viejo]

I have read your thread, tacklejunkie and must say, I am very impressed. You took what some would consider a negative and turned it into a positive and ended up with a very slick kayak and stayed within your budget. You definitely are a glass half full kind of guy. Well done and enjoy the efforts of all your hard work and ingenuity.

[tacklejunkie]

Very kind words. Thank you, I am flattered! Here's where I try to be humble!..

There is also many very creative guys on this site as well. I received lots of ideas from those who chimed in to help too! When we are all getting along, we can collect and get some nice things done and have a good time doing it. I appreciate everyones help as usual.

I am very lucky to have what I do in these tough times and am very thankful for what I have.

I did end up slightly over budget on the rigging and I think I still need to add a few things here and there. I got lucky with the $50 off on the yak itself also, and the fact that the store was very close to home so virtually no gas or shipping. Just CA state taxes but you gotta lose somewhere. Luckly I've come into some work here and there and been able to splurge a bit on the budget.

Not a bad Kayak at all.
I think I'll keep it to the fresh water only and later get a sit on yak for the saltwater.
One day I want to pull on a fish who might threaten my safety in the middle of the ocean :LOL:

My only complaint with it is the manufacturer put the screws for the foot pegs near the water line, and on a choppy day it can produce a very very very slow leak.
A simple $3 fix with some silicone.

I'll get more pics up later when I have more work on it done. Seems like I have a million things to get done all the sudden right when the fishing is picking up.

PS interested to see how fishinone's yak turns out too that's gonna be good for a $30 pickup!

[tacklejunkie]

Here's a shot of the adjustable footrests while I have them off for sealing the screws.
To be honest I don't think they are even necessary but I guess a nice addition.
IMO they add weight lol
Also, testing a small piece of silicon on my kayak first on the inside and outside plastic to see if it melts the RAM-X material.
http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/reptilemantis/IMG_1265.jpg
silicone test
http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/reptilemantis/IMG_1266.jpg

[tacklejunkie]

Good luck with that, bro. I'll be out at Perris this Sunday. If anybody sees me, stop by and say hi. OD green Seyvlor Tahiti. I'll be near the island and power cove.
I'll see what's poppin'. Might just be there if I don't do tomorrow.

[Skyler]

I'll see what's poppin'. Might just be there if I don't do tomorrow.
Hope to see you there. I want to check out your new bass buggy.

[Darius]

I know there is 6 pages of replies and I'm late to respond. But may i suggest if it has not been said but check out craigslist ads. And look for reputable kayak makers. From my personal experience with Pelican Kayaks and Ocean Kayaks. Ocean kayaks have out performed my past Pelican kayaks. For instance, I had two Pelican Kayaks that did not perform well in the water. Specifically during the summer heat out in Puddingstone the plastic material began to get soft, thus the Pelican kayak was beginning to bend in half, i noticed dents and crimps in the kayak, it made me panic and paddle back to shore! Take my word for it or not but I will never buy another Pelican kayak, and last the design is just cheaper and is not as stable as Ocean Kayaks. For now, I've fished from only Ocean Kayaks, specifically the model Zuma II, and the popular Malibu Two XL. These two are all tandem kayaks. Reason being can carry a friend so when it gets windy they can paddle while you fish and the extra room in appreciated. In addition you only need to pay for one non motorized water craft fee and it's fun to b.s with a friend. Another thing about Ocean Kayaks is they are built very well! They are stable and break the wake easily not like my Pelican, if it hit a wave head on water would come on board! I remember reading about being on a tight budget, when looking for an anchor get a old heavy motorcycle/ atv/ dirt bike chain sprocket, tie a rope and you're set it'll hold you down. And when looking for rod holders try pvc piping and a 'L' bracket plus plastic screws and silicon to do the job. In anything PM i'm rambling on but i'll help anyone with my suggestions.

[tacklejunkie]

I actually noticed that in the manual it said that in hot weather the kayak can become flexible. It said this is normal.

I do fish lakes that can reach 110* on a hot day. Maybe hotter with the reflection of the water.

I've fished it in almost 90* weather so far and no problems. did even notice any flexing.

I'll keep an eye out and report back if it gets hairy. lol

I do note that Pelican has another kayak exactly the same body as this one outfitted for fishing for another $150 or something. I'm hoping mine is fairly safe for fishing local freshwater. I guess only time will tell!

I saw some inflateable kayak nose and tail shaped air bladders that you stuff in the nose and tail for kayaks. I think I am going to grab a pair for my yak just in case I flip or get flexible and she goes down. That way I can be sure it won't sink. does the Ram X plastic sink? anyone know? Looks like it would sink like a rock lol.

[Darius]

Again, i was just not satisfied with the Pelican line of kayaks that I have experienced. For now on it'll be Ocean kayaks and I still want to try Hobies line of kayaks, Malibu, and Wilderness kayaks.

[qbi2001]

does the Ram X plastic sink? anyone know? Looks like it would sink like a rock lol.

Yep It'll sink, Almost all kayaks sink. Some manufacturer make models that have a type of foam injected into areas that will give a neutral bouyancy however they are selling points and if your kayak doesn't say it has it, it doesn't. I've kayak fished for about 6 years now and am currently on my 3rd kayak so I've learned some things both good and bad.

For the air bladders most people that use sit insides will put one bladder in the front of the yak so they can still have some storage in the back. The idea is it will let the yak float on end and you can then pull it to shore and properly bail/bilge it out.

I don't know much about pelican yaks but it should be more than adequate for freshwater applications. A note on adhesives I've learned the hard way that not all adhesives are equal for plastic adhesion and most of the kayak fishing community either uses "marine goop" or "3M 5200"

Welcome to the addiction
Matt

[viperman100]

MARINE GOOP, all the way, the silicone wont stick properly.

[tacklejunkie]

For the silicone I just used it to make gaskets for the screws really.
I'll check out the Marine Goop stuff.

I was reading that the silicone is not for below the water line but I think it should hold for what I used it for just those lil screws. We'll find out soon. I may be taking the yak to Barrett Monday?! Woot!

Thanks for the advice guys all taken into consideration!

[Ronira]

Yo TJ, long time, how's the back? Might be an issue in a yak.

[tacklejunkie]

Rondawg! Long time no see buddy. Was waiting for you to check in!
Miss ya man, how's the family.

[Ronira]

Family's good bro! Been to long since we wet a line. Been flying my heli and my plank and haven't fished for a long time. You still live out by the lake?

[tacklejunkie]

Oh I forgot,
The back is doing much better now days. I think it was my bicycle that I hurt it on.
As long as I keep exercised I'm ok. The Yak can make my legs a bit numb cause you know how I sit out there all day without giving up but I still gotta add a padded seat to fix that. lol

[fishinone]

I put a piece of the Ram-X that I cut out of my Pelican in water it floats but just barely. Anything you put in the kayak could pull it down easily.

I'm planning to add some foam to make coolers in my repair project.

You can just splash water on you kayak if it's too hot. You could easily lower the material temperature.

[bassguy]

Hey Tj,

Nice job getting the kayak to your liking, good to see your still out fishing. I have a question. Since you're the only person I know who has fished from a pontoon, tube, and kayak, what is your preference? I've been looking at a Hobie Mirage Outback, don't know if the kayak is the way to go? What's some of the advantages and disadvantages of the kayak compared to a tube or pontoon? Let me know, we need to get out and fish.

[tacklejunkie]

The kayak is the toughest to keep positioned, being as the pontoon is more clumsy in the water (draggy) and the tube is continuously positioned by your lower half. Wind effects you pretty good and you have to be quick draw with the anchor, and actually use that anchor.. effectively.

The tubes are slowest and draggiest of all but positioning, trolling/dragging plastics and hitting a smaller area of water more completely are more enhanced than the kayak and pontoon. Tubes are also the quietest approach of all, and I nail tons of bass sneaking up on them very, very quietly.

The pontoon, you can stand, and (easily) attach a trolling motor. Yes you can get trolling motor on kayak but it's more parts and trouble. Not to mention you cannot stand on the tube or (my) kayak (yet). If you have bad knees or can't stand sitting for long periods, maybe the pontoon is the way to go.

If you want to dissect an area, tube it.

If you want to hit points and run and gun and scout spots, use the kayak. It's fast and no registration require. Makes your arms buff too and fish tow you even more than in a tube or pontoon.

If you don't mind lugging the pontoon around, it's basically a micro bass boat with all the amenities once you put a trolling motor on it. But it's lots of work to carry around. they do usually have a good storage capacity though and let you carry all the tackle you can fit. Some pontoons run shallow and others deeper. Some have dual bladders for more safety and more shallow effect etc. Choose wisely for where you'll use it. I think you already know this Bassguy from being on the water with the pontubers.

They all have their advantages. I bias none over the other.
If you do get a pontoon though, the only way to fly is to power it with a trolling motor and register it. Otherwise you are not using it to it's full ability.

PS I think the Hobie Mirage with the pedal drives are like top of the line best yaks you can get! Get 'er done!

[tacklejunkie]

Picked up a nice Scotty for the front of the 'Yak today.
Still modifying to my liking!
http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/reptilemantis/DSCN8956.jpg

[BabyKiller]

truly inspiring at this point. I am sold, and will be getting a kayak instead of a 4k boat.
keep up the good work.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVyObcZ4JZM